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Clinical Laboratory Science :

DCLS

Why study Clinical Laboratory Science : ?

The Doctorate of Clinical Laboratory Science (DCLS) is an advanced practice degree for practicing, professionally certified, medical laboratory scientists who are interested in increasing practical and theoretical knowledge of clinical laboratory science, advancing in the profession, and positively impacting the current healthcare system through interprofessional collaboration with other members of the healthcare team.

The DCLS will provide the depth of knowledge and training required to provide real-time clinical decision support thereby mitigating the challenges to improved patient outcomes associated with laboratory testing.

The DCLS will interpret complex testing panels, address appropriate clinical utility, and correlate test results with patient’s symptomology to provide real-time clinical decision support. The DCLS will serve as a consistent resource for the patient and members of the healthcare team. By providing these consultations, the DCLS will enable meaningful use, appropriate utilization management, and provide interpretation leading to better patient care and safety while also lowering cost and increasing reimbursement.

DCLS graduates will be prepared to act as consultants to healthcare providers, serve as laboratory directors, educate patients and healthcare providers, perform, and disseminate research on evidence base practice and test utilization, and enter academic faculty positions.

Admission Requirements

The University of Cincinnati’s DCLS program is highly competitive with limited spots in each cohort. Please pay close attention to all requirements for admissions and the application. 

  • Students applying must have completed a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree program from a regionally credited institution. This degree must be in medical laboratory science or a related field. 

  • Applicants MUST have a generalist certification as a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) or Medical Technologist (MT). This certification must be ASCP, ASCPi, AAB, or AMT. 

  • Applicants must demonstrate at least two years of prior clinical, industry, or research experience in laboratory science. 

  • All applicants must have maintained at least a B average (3.0/4.0 system) in all college work.

Application Requirements 

  • Applicants must provide unofficial transcripts during the application process for all undergraduate and graduate education completed. The program director will review these credits. Once accepted, official transcripts will be required before the start of classes. 

  • Applicants must provide three (3) CURRENT letters of recommendation. These letters should be from individuals who can attest the applicant’s potential success in the DCLS program. 

    • Acceptable Recommendations MUST come from each of the sources below: 

      • Current employers or supervisors 

      • Prior employers or supervisors 

      • Academic recommendation from current or past instructors 

    • Unacceptable Recommendations include: 

      • Friends 

      • Family 

      • Personal relationships with no insight into the applicant’s educational success 

      • Non-current recommendations or letters not written specifically for the DCLS application 

    • If you have concerns about meeting the recommendation requirements, contact us directly. 

  • Resume/CV of personal, professional and educational background. 

    • Applicants should have a minimum of 2 years of professional practice or research experience in the laboratory. 

  • Applicants must submit a personal statement of professional and academic goals. This should address professional interests, career aspirations, and clinical practice experience. Statements should be less than 1,000 words and should demonstrate how the applicant will be successful in an online doctorate program. 

    • Tips for Statements of Purpose: 

      • Include leadership roles if these apply to you 

      • Elaborate on your educational past – especially if you struggled to maintain a 3.0 average. 

      • Elaborate on your Engagement in your program – including volunteer work and admission into groups and organizations outside of employment 

    • Writing Prompt Completion: applicants will be required to complete a virtual 15-20 minute writing prompt to ensure that they are ready for the writing-intensive courses of the DCLS.  

    • Interview: Selected qualified applicants will be invited to complete an interview with the director and faculty of the DCLS program.  

A Doctorate of Clinical Laboratory Science degree is designed to expand on the knowledge and skills beyond the bachelor’s and master’s levels. Professionals with this qualification can seek opportunities within Higher Education, Technical Laboratory Roles, and Diagnostic Management.

With this degree, you can qualify to become an advanced practice medical laboratory scientist to serve as a High Complexity Laboratory Director (HCLD) as defined by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA). These professionals oversee quality assurance for complex laboratory environments and help to verify that testing and general laboratory operations are being completed well.

The information provided is sourced from a third party, Lightcast. Their product, called Career Coach, combines extensive labor market data from Lightcast and the U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics. It provides insights on industry, occupation, compensation, and projected growth for each profession. Economic and workforce information is available for various geographic regions. Some careers may require additional training or education.

  • The University of Cincinnati has online enrollment services advisors (ESAs) available to help learners complete their application and get started in the Online Master of Health Informatics program.  If you have not already, please use the request information form above to be connected to an ESA today! 

  • Upon starting the program, a dedicated student success coordinator (SSC) will be assigned to all learners to help them achieve their academic goals. You will be introduced to your SSC as your first semester approaches, and they will be your primary liaison to the university all the way through graduation. 

  • DCLS students will work individually with the program faculty and staff to design their residency experience. 

Student must successfully complete 81 credit hours with a 3.0 GPA to graduate.

  • The University of Cincinnati is dedicated to helping all students take the necessary courses to finish their degree as efficiently as possible. The DCLS program includes paths for students with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in medical laboratory science and related fields. 

    • Post-Baccalaureate Student Credit Requirement: 81 Credits

    • UC’s Master’s in MLS Leadership Graduate Degree Student Credit Requirement: 60 Credits  

  • Students who have earned graduate credits from accredited institutions other than UC may be eligible to apply some of those credits towards their pursuit of the online Executive Master of Health Administration. Please contact your Enrollment Services Advisor (ESA) for specifics about the policy. 

  • Students living outside of the United States are not eligible to apply for this program due to the residency experience requirements.  

  • Applicants with college coursework completed outside the United States are required to provide a course-by-course foreign credential evaluation for each college or university you attended outside the United States. This evaluation must be obtained from a service listed on the NACES member website. 

  • Students who are not permanent residents of the United States or earned a degree from an institution where English was not the language of instruction must complete a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) test when applying. 

    • TOEFL Requirements:

      • Internet Based: 100 minimum 

      • Computer Based: 250 minimum 

      • Paper Based: 600-603 

    • Other Test Options: 

    • IELTS (International English Language Testing System): 7.0 minimum 

    • Duolingo: 120 minimum   

More information about graduate college requirements for English proficiency and potential waivers can be found here: English Language Proficiency Requirements 

Explore unique opportunities, faculty, and resources available in Clinical Health Information Sciences

Application Deadlines

  • The DCLS program only accepts one cohort each year for a Fall semester start. 

  • Online applications are accepted for the program every year, August 1st of the previous calendar year through February 1st of the start term year. 

  • Completed online applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and applicants will be notified via email if they are selected to move on to the virtual writing prompt portion of the application process. 

  • Applicants who complete the virtual writing prompt and are selected to move on to the final interview will then be notified via email. 

  • Final interviews will begin in January each year 

  • Final decisions to be made in spring 

  • Admitted applicants will be notified of their enrollment eligibility for the Fall semester by late spring of the same year. 

The University of Cincinnati and all regional campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

This program is currently applying for accreditation by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS), 5600 N. River Rd, Suite 720 Rosemont IL 60018-5119.

Contact Information

UC Online Enrollment Services
3225 Eden Avenue
Cincinnati , OH 45267
(513) 556-8611
Onlineenrollment@uc.edu

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Program Code: 35DOC-CLSC-DCLS-.DCLS-DL